WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont progressive whose 2016 White House campaign garnered fervent grassroots support and pushed the Democratic Party sharply to the left, said on Tuesday he would again seek the party's presidential nomination in 2020.

Sanders, 77, announced his candidacy in an email to supporters, vowing to build a vast movement to confront the special interests that he said dominate government and politics.

Sanders said he would push for many of the same issues that powered his 2016 run and resonated with younger voters, including universal healthcare, raising the hourly minimum wage to $15, and free public college tuition.

"Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that works for the many, not just the few," Sanders said, asking for 1 million people to sign up to kick off his bid.

Sanders' insurgent 2016 candidacy against front-runner Hillary Clinton ended up capturing 23 state nominating contests, but generated tension between the party's establishment and liberal wings that split the Democrats in 2016 and still plagues the party.

He joins an already-crowded Democratic race featuring candidates touting many of the ideas he brought into the party mainstream. They include fellow Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

Sanders has been among the leaders in early opinion polls of prospective 2020 Democratic candidates, but a broad range of progressive candidates could make it harder for him to stand out and generate the same level of support as four years ago.

In an interview with SiriusXM radio, Sanders said voters "might want to look at who was there first, and who raised these issues in the past."

He condemned Republican President Donald Trump in his statement as "the most dangerous president in modern American history," labelling him "a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe."

'I LIKE BERNIE'

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump dismissed Sanders' chances but said at least the senator, like Trump, has been tough on free-trade deals.

"Personally, I think he missed his time, but I like Bernie," said Trump, who in the past has labelled Sanders "crazy Bernie."

Sanders enters the race with clear strengths, including broad name recognition, a proven ability to raise money from small-dollar donors and a committed set of passionate supporters.

But he is also likely to face questions about his age and relevance in a party that is increasingly advancing more diverse and fresh voices, including those of women and minorities - groups that Sanders struggled to win over in 2016.

His campaign reported that Sanders raised more than $1.2 million from 42,000 donors in all 50 states in the first four hours after he announced his run on Tuesday morning. More than 250,000 people had signed on to support Sanders, the campaign said.

Sanders also has hired Faiz Shakir, an experienced Democratic operative who was the national political director at the American Civil Liberties Union, as campaign manager for 2020, the campaign said. He was previously a senior adviser to former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, and worked at the liberal Centre for American Progress think tank.

A former mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders won a U.S. House of Representatives seat in 1990, making him the first independent elected to the House in 40 years. In 2006, Sanders won a U.S. Senate seat and in 2018 was voted in for a third six-year term.

His run against Clinton, a former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, was notable because few Democrats seemed inclined to challenge her claim on the nomination. Sanders' candidacy swiftly became a phenomenon, as he spoke to swelling crowds and garnered passionate support on social media.

Unlike Clinton, he refused to take money from corporate political action committees, or PACs, relying on a flood of small-dollar donations.

When he ultimately conceded and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of Clinton, he was jeered by some of his supporters. At the time, Sanders said his populist platform would endure.

The primaries and caucuses that determine the party's nominee will begin in February 2020 in Iowa, and the Democratic winner is likely to face Trump in the general election in November.

(Reporting by James Oliphant and John Whitesides; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason, Susan Heavey and Makini Brice; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Jonathan Oatis and Bernadette Baum)

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I like Bernie; how could anyone not like a 77 year old man who doesn't own a comb?

That said, I wish he chose not to run. The simple fact is at 77, he is likely too old to be President (same with Biden); yes, there are exceptions to this rule, but... Further, although he has had some great ideas and inspired many, many people, he has little experience implementing policies. The question must be asked; did all those Bernie supporters from last time support him for his managerial experience/ability or solely for his ideas? It was the ideas he represented. Finally, at the risk of being called ageist, I think the US needs a younger person at the helm. Yes, ask and listen to advice from the elders, but the US should have a younger person as leader.

I sincerely hope (because I genuinely like Bernie) that his candidacy comes to a swift end and that he can transition into an 'Elder Statesman' role under a Trump-less Presidency.

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This is only good news for the Trump campaign. That aside how fun, we finally got the Bernie thread! The first thing that needs to happen is to thoroughly investigate the allegations into sexual harassment with in his campaign last time around to make sure we have full closure.

Then the fun can begin when we realize what a bunch of unrealistic economic policies he wants the USA to adopt. This is going to be fun to watch. He has shifted from being a run of the mill socialist to getting big into the identity politics lately. If you look at him speak he already seems so much angrier.

None of these candidates should be riding around in airplanes killing the planet.

This election is going to be fun to see how it turns out.

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I like Bernie Sanders, most of his ideas, and his lofty goals. HOWEVER, he's not a Democrat, he's an Independent. He should not be allowed to dilute the process among lifelong Democrats. As for the Republicans that have recently 'renounced' their allegiance to that party and declared to be Democrats, I say this: Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing. Their positions and goals have not changed. They still are at odds with Dem policies and positions. They are craven and will say or do anything to retain power. Vote a straight Blue ticket.

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I like Bernie Sanders, most of his ideas, and his lofty goals. HOWEVER, he's not a Democrat, he's an Independent. He should not be allowed to dilute the process among lifelong Democrats. As for the Republicans that have recently 'renounced' their allegiance to that party and declared to be Democrats, I say this: Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing. Their positions and goals have not changed. They still are at odds with Dem policies and positions. They are craven and will say or do anything to retain power. Vote a straight Blue ticket.

I wholeheartedly agree Bernie would be of the most benefit if he ran as an Independent.

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I think his time has gone, stolen bij the DNC 3 years ago. He is too old now, time for the youth to take over. I do hope he stays in the race for a while and pushes the other candidates a bit further left. More social policies are needed in the USA.

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I think his time has gone, stolen bij the DNC 3 years ago. He is too old now, time for the youth to take over. I do hope he stays in the race for a while and pushes the other candidates a bit further left. More social policies are needed in the USA.

Yeah, the sad thing for the Democrats is that the only other stronger candidate is 76 year old Joe Biden. The Presidency is really becoming a geriatric club on both sides. This is not a bad thing if health holds up.

Not sure what Biden and Bernie's diet and exercise regimens are, but Trump has proven that being obese, with a bizarre aversion to exercise and a fast food diet rich in Big Macs, fries & KFC nutrients, combined with ample executive time watching Faux News is the key to good health.

The point about running mates is very important in this dynamic though. Apart from Trump's brain dead somewhat younger VP, these two campaigns (If Biden runs) should focus on vibrant younger running mates.

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His age will not be an impediment. His message, policies and genuine, lifelong, concern with the plight of real people will resonate as it did in 2016. Most popular politician in the USA (by poll) and most likely to beat 45 (by poll). None of the other candidates take less corporate bribes or have a historical voting record that stands up in comparison.

Dismiss Bernie for a second time at your own peril. He WILL be the one to beat... this is gonna be fun!!